How did you meet?
We met in November 2019 on Facebook Dating. Facebook had just launched a new Dating section where you can swipe left and right and match with people. We matched and started talking, then met up about a week later.
When did you become engaged, and how?
We got engaged in January 2020 in South Lake Tahoe. We had planned a weekend getaway to the snow. It was so romantic. Garrison proposed on the gondola ride up to Heavenly Mountain. Of course, I said “yes”. But, I surprised him by also getting down on one knee and proposing to him as well with a promise ring. A mutual engagement.
#WeddingGoals
Honestly, I absolutely hate being the center of attention. All I wanted for my big day, was for all our guests to have fun and enjoy themselves. We catered our wedding to all types of people. We have Connect 4, Corn Hole, Coloring, and Dress for the kids and the adults who are kids at heart. We even made sure to have some kid friendly sack meals (applesauce, juice box, chips, pbj) for the picky eaters who didn’t want the tacos we were serving. At each table, we had wet wipes for guests to use. We also had a few table topics conversation cards and fidgets toys for the guests to play with. Speeches at weddings can be so long and hard for both adults and children to sit through. Having distractions at each table was a huge help.
How did planning go? Favorite time? Worst moment?
The planning was definitely stressful. My mom was my lifesaver throughout the whole thing and spent countless hours helping me get organized. Since we knew we had limited time to set up and get ready at the venue, we had large Costco size tots organized and labeled for each table so it was a quick grab a tote and help set it up kind of system.
My favorite time during the wedding planning was probably making the centerpieces. All the ladies and I got together for a centerpiece making day and made the 16 centerpieces for the tables. My daughter, who was 18 months old at the time, even helped and made her own little arrangements.
The worst moment for us was the weather. We had picked this venue for its beautiful outdoor settling and I wanted the outdoor photos. So we continued to monitor the weather and had a back up plan in place in case it rained. We even had umbrellas on standby. Luckily, the rain came in about 20 minutes after we had finished all our outdoor photos and the ceremony.
What was the biggest challenge of wedding planning?
Finding the time to make everything was very hard. We have two toddlers at home and both work full time jobs. So, every month on one Sunday or Saturday for six months , we set aside the whole day for wedding planning and organizing.
How would you describe the ceremony? Was there anything specific that made it unique to you as a couple?
Our ceremony was absolutely beautiful. I had asked my brother, Andrew, to sing me down the aisle to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and he surprised me by hiring a cellist to accompany him. It was so beautiful to have my mom and dad walk me down the aisle to my brother singing.
Memorable Moment
After all the solo dances and toasts were over, it was time for everyone to join the dance floor. The first song to play was “Baby Shark.” That’s right, “Baby Shark do doo do do doo.” We had about 20 children under age five at our wedding, and them and their parents all rushed out to dance to a song they recognized and loved—it was our modern day version of “Macarena.” Seeing everyone laughing and being goofy was amazing.
Did you have any special cultural features to your wedding or factors that celebrated the heritage of you or your family?
We had a table at our reception full of photos of our close relatives we had passed away with candles for them. Both my husband and I, had several grandparents who were no longer alive and it was so nice to have them still present at our wedding through their photos.
Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?
One of the most unexpected moments of our wedding was the oranges. When we had originally booked the venue, it was summertime, and we had not realized there were orange trees everywhere. It was a little windy the day of the wedding and our aisle runner wasn’t staying in place. I guess a member of our wedding party decided to used some of the oranges along the side of the runner to help hold it down. Not a bad idea, however, when my bridesmaids began walking down the aisle some of their dresses got caught on the oranges and they began to drag oranges down the aisle with them. It was hilarious. Everyone was laughing, not at my bridesmaids, but at the situation of dresses with a train full of oranges.
Special Songs:
First Dance Song: “Forever Like That” by Ben Rector
Father/Daughter Song: “My Father’s Daughter” by Jewel featuring Dolly Parton
Mother/Son Dance Song: “Can She Have this Dance” by Drew Baldridge
Cake Cutting Song: “Meant To Be (Cover)” by Landon Austin
Bouquet Toss Song: “Dear Future Husband” by Meghan Trainor
Garter Toss Song: “You Sexy Thing (I Believe in Miracles)” by Hot Chocolate
Last Dance Song: “Closing Time” by Semisonic
Special Dance: Connie + Garrison with their children: “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story
What was the best part of your day?
Connie: My favorite memory that I will always cherish from our wedding wasn’t anything tangible or anything I had actually planned. We had a sweetheart table set up for my husband and myself. Our two toddlers were meant to sit with our family members during the reception. However, as soon as my husband and I sat down, my son who was three at the time, wanted to pull up a seat right between us at the sweetheart table. Rather, than turn him away and tell him to go back to sitting with his Yaya, my husband and I said “yes”.
During the dances and the speeches, he kept saying “Me and Mommy” as though he had just married me himself. It was beautiful. He reminded my husband and I both of the love we have for each other and the beautiful union we had already created in our two children. As the wedding progressed, our son began to “cut-in” on all the dances and his smile from ear to ear still bring tears of joy to my eyes. My husband had the same reaction to my son’s behaviors which was even more affirmation that I was marrying the perfect partner for me. A great father, a great spouse, and a great friend.
Garrison: The best part of our wedding was seeing friends and family, on both sides, seeing our little family taking the next big step. Also, marrying the woman of my life.
What was your favorite detail from your wedding day?
My favorite detail of our wedding was our hashtag. #BackwardsBroomes. We picked this hashtag because we (as a couple) did everything backwards. First we got pregnant, then we got engaged, then we bought a car together, then we had a second baby, then we bought our house together, then we got married. Hence, we did everything backwards.
#VendorRaves
Our photographer, Denise from Photography For A Reason, was absolutely amazing—even though it was freezing with a little rain, she captured such amazing photos and gave clear direction to our entire wedding party on what to do for the photos. Our DJ was also a lifesaver—she made sure everything ran smoothly throughout the ceremony and reception. She even gave her own little speech on love and added some extra sweet romantic songs into the mix.
Looking back, what do you think your guests will remember most about your wedding?
Baby Shark, of course. I think guests were remember our wedding as being one of the most kid-friendly weddings they have ever attended. We put a lot of effort and detail into having activities for children, food for children, and even sparkling cider for the toasts for the kiddos. Children at weddings should be included, and never be felt to feel like a nuisance on such a beautiful day of unity.
Advice from the couple:
Do not get married on a Sunday. We picked a Sunday afternoon because the cost for the venue was cheaper than a Friday or Saturday. We had hopes that our guests would still enjoy our wedding and party with us. We had the ceremony early around 3pm. However, due to it being a Sunday and many of our guests having children, the majority of our guests were gone by 8:30pm. We had the venue barn until 11pm and the party ended up shutting down around 9:30pm, as we were all exhausted.
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Bought less alcohol. If you are getting married and are in your 30s, do not overstock your beer/wine. Most of your guests are well past the age of binge drinking, and will likely barely touch the alcohol provided.
